“How firm a foundation ye saints of the Lord is laid for your faith in His excellent word.” The words of our theme song were etched into the hearts of the 2018 North Carolina All-State Youth Choir singers. Throughout the week, our clinician, Dr. Kenney Potter, challenged us to sing, not to perform in front of an audience, but in praise of our Creator.
Though memorizing fourteen pieces of music within three days was a miracle by itself, God was at work in concerts, rehearsals, and meals. Yes, even Marshbanks Dining Hall at Campbell University was filled with the prayer Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow before every meal. Thursday, as we stood atop the USS North Carolina, we began to sing of peace in the South African spiritual, Ukuthula (oo-ku-too-la). As we sang “Peace, in this world of trouble, the blood of Jesus brings,” the irony of our location hit us: this battleship kept the peace during World War II just as the sacrifice Jesus made gave each of us peace in our own lives. Later, we sang for the Thompson Children’s Home in Matthews which cares for children with terrible situations at home. The children finally engaged as we sang “how good and pleasant it is when we dwell together in unity,” igniting God’s work through us. By the end of the week, every word we spoke and every lyric we sang came from our heart, because we had seen the Majesty and Glory of praising our Lord’s name.
– Sierra Browning
